Tom McEwen pilots Nicola Wilson’s European Champion, JL Dublin, in their first CCI4*-L together at Boekelo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
There are few things I like better than the closing day of entries for a 5*, because by this point, we finally start to get an idea of who’s going to be where, which means I can start making outrageous statements in the EN group chat like “[XYZ] is going to lead the dressage by 3 points, actually, because a loose dog is going to run into the arena while [ZYX] is doing their extended trot and they’ll break to canter for a second there as a result” and also “but actually [ABC] is going to win the whole thing because the whole rest of the field will be abducted by aliens after the final trot-up and also his horse has a really nice kissable pink spot on his nose so really I think he just deserves it”. Flawless technique; crystal clear vision. Anyway, we’ve got a Badminton entry list now (spicy; excellent) and most of a Kentucky list — but entries do close today, and I’ve heard a few rumours about horses we may yet see appear on the line-up, which is already SO GOOD (and my money’s on Tom McEwen and JL Dublin, for what it’s worth).
Events Opening Today: Hitching Post Farm H.T., Unionville May H.T. -Modified Pending USEF Approval, Winona Horse Trials, Spokane Sport Horse Spring H.T., Tryon Spring CCI4*L
Events Closing Today: Poplar Place April H.T., Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, Spring Bay H.T., Unionville Horse Trials -Modified Pending USEF Approval, Longleaf Pine H.T., FENCE H.T., Twin Rivers Spring International
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
If you were watching the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina CCI4*-S, you might have been excited to follow a slightly less familiar name. Mary Bess Davis didn’t just come to make up the numbers, either: she earned herself a tenth-place finish with her striking nine-year-old, Imperio Magic, too. Her story is one that’ll inspire anyone who’s trying to balance riding and real life — and although she’s currently temporarily laid up after a fall in the two-star, she’s already got her sights set on a CCI4*-L this summer. [Meet Mary Bess, your new favourite rider]
Once upon a time, I bought a horse from a sandlot — and that horse turned out to be a headshaker. I was a pretty naive teenager, he was my first horse, and I had limited help and support around me — and frankly, that’s one of the toughest conditions to manage without a support system, because it’s so hard to pinpoint a cause and thus create a plan to mitigate the symptoms. Even now, I’ll read anything that offers some wisdom into why it happens and what to do about it — so this new research on trauma-related causes is particularly fascinating to me, and it will be to you, too, if you’ve ever dealt with it. [Headshaking demystified — kinda]
While we’re on the topic of horsey health, let’s talk equine flu. There’s a striking lack of general knowledge — and an awful lot of fear — that ripples through barns over these things, and that fear isn’t totally unjustified, because viruses can adapt and mutate, making themselves resistant to previously effective preventative measures and medications. (I know we all know this all too well after that whole pandemic thing!) Keeping up to date on warning signs and best practices is key, though, to keeping your horses safe. [Brush up on equine flu in 2023]
And finally: apparently some hunter-jumper barns are running team penning clinics. Working together, learning to sort cattle, and discarding the usual worries about headsets and position and all that jazz is working wonders for slightly sour horses and riders, and it’s creating a super bonding exercise, too — plus, it just looks like so much fun. I once rode a foxhunter who would herd cows away from gateways while we were moving towards a covert, and I reckon he’d have loved to give this a go, despite his plaits and hoof oil and esteemed Irish breeding. [Would you herd a cow with your sport horse?]
Sponsor Corner: Are you the proud owner of an older horse? It’s such a privilege to get to keep our best friends by our side as they grow older, but it does also come with challenges — such as keeping condition on, which can be seriously stressful if they start to really drop off. The solution? Feeding complete meals that are specifically designed to support the older horse’s digestive system and give him the boost he needs. KPP has all the tips and tricks and advice for you here.
Watch This:
Want to get back into the swing of jumping courses after a bit of time off? TV presenter Jenny Rudall knows your struggle — because she’s doing exactly the same thing. Luckily, she’s got some pretty great help on her side — and in this clip from her new show, Rudall Returns to Eventing, you can check out some of the grids and exercises they’ve been building for her to get her mojo back:
